Visa Approved WOO HOO!!!!

[sus 70]

Congrats, Marlita!

I am passing the below as a message to you from Westmoreland:

[SupportOAFJF 0]

Lita it's finally over

[yankeesgirl79 0]

CONGRATS MARLITA!!!!!!!!!!!

[jawi876 2]

[Islandwoman 0]

The women who were there along got visa quick without their SO present. I really think if you go to the interview with your SO its better. I know you can get it without it but as a JA man without your woman there, you are in for trouble.

Any thoughts as to why that is??

[Tash 0]

Fantastic, Congrats Marlita I'm so glad you were able to attend. Thanks for the thorough explanation at the interview. Wow, wish our goes as simple as yours too. I think it all depends on the interviewer too. I'm happy for you both.

Edited October 24, 2008 by Tash

[Marlita 0]

The women who were there along got visa quick without their SO present. I really think if you go to the interview with your SO its better. I know you can get it without it but as a JA man without your woman there, you are in for trouble.

Any thoughts as to why that is??

I have no idea, just a hunch I think cause of all the scamming that usually comes from the men, vs the women. I believe they purposely dont tell the SO to come in the interview letter, cause they want to see you make that decision yourself, to see how important of a day this is to you. And before you even have the interview they already know if they are gonna want to see your SO or not. I think most every man who was there alone did not get a visa. Then there were others with weird mistakes. Its a very odd process.

[Marlita 0]

Fantastic, Congrats Marlita I'm so glad you were able to attend. Thanks for the thorough explanation at the interview. Wow, wish our goes as simple as yours too. I think it all depends on the interviewer too. I'm happy for you both.

You know I dont think the interviewer makes the choice really. They are reading from the computer and i think before you even get there they know what they are gonna ask and how simple it will be for the visa or not. My interviewer had the pink slip in her hand the whole time, and like i say there was another officer who was gonna do the interview but she was too hoarse to speak so she passed it on. So they really dont have much say.

Congrats, Marlita!

I am passing the below as a message to you from Westmoreland:

OMG!! I havent heard about West in over a year!! How is she doing. Do you guys still frequent TA?

[sus 70]

OMG!! I havent heard about West in over a year!! How is she doing. Do you guys still frequent TA?

Westie is good - I am still on TA here and there, the thread is still going - I connect with Westie and Rastagirlnj more through Myspace - All the dawtas said to send you their best wishes -

[Yaads 0]

Yay Lita and Evan!!!

[PortlandAngel 0]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!...Wow it was really that simple...do you think it was easier because you were there?????......I would like to know how the other interviews went...Please share details....

Well I think it may have been easy regardless of whether I was there or not. But like I said, I needed to pay an additional $20US for the fees, and Evan did not have that much on him. He only had enough for the airpack and stuff. So he would of had to leave the embassy, go get more money, and come back and that would have made him mad.

There were a few times that they tell you to pick up the phone and speak. Thats when you know they have really personal relationship questions to answer. There was a couple that they even split up to ask questions...Evan pointed this out to me. They may have looked like an "odd" couple to the embassy. There were a few men who did not have their SO with them and the officer specifically asked..;'where is your finacee"....they got blue slipped. One guys wife filled out the wrong AOS form and he got blue slipped for just that. He was PISSED!! Stompin and such. I dont know how they got all the way thru NVc to the embassy with the wrong AOS form. The women who were there along got visa quick without their SO present. I really think if you go to the interview with your SO its better. I know you can get it without it but as a JA man without your woman there, you are in for trouble.

Really, I have been debating back and forth if I should go, or just take a chance and let him go by himself and see what happens. I only have 3 vacation days left for this year! Plus the tickets are like so expensive to fly down for just 3-days. I was telling my mom she said to just pray about, I think I got my answer this morning, that I should go.

[PortlandAngel 0]

By the way, Congratulations !! I am so happy for you two!!!

[Marlita 0]

By the way, Congratulations !! I am so happy for you two!!!

I would definitely suggest you go to the interview. I dont think any men were approved as a finace without their SO. I think the CO looks at it as a big thing if you come.

[jokalu 1]

Well we got the Visa (WOO HOO!!)…well not in hand, but we got the pink slip or whatever and are just awaiting Airpak to deliver it. Praying for a quick turnaround.

Anyway, our interview was 10/21 Tuesday morning. We get to the embassy about 8:50a, interview time was 9:00a. It really doesn’t matter how late or early you get there so long as you get there within their operating hours. There were 2 lines outside. Apparently there were MANY visitor visas that day and not many family based visas. The officer at the door has a list with your name on it. He cross checks this with your interview letter. There are people outside who will take your passport photos and hold your phone for a fee…..JA always on the hustle…gotta love em. We go thru security, just like at the airport but easier. We walk thru the courtyard and assemble in the line that is formed out there. Thank goodness for the shade, it was rather cool and nice. I sat while Evan stood in line. Most everyone in line was a visitor visa….I could tell by the paperwork they had in their hand. There were at least 150-200 visitor and about 54 family based that day.

We entered into the Embassy in groups of 10 or so. I notice we waited awhile in this courtyard due to all the visitor visa folks holding up the line cause they didn’t have their paperwork in order. Once you enter there are 2 men checking your forms and they give you a wait number depending on your visa type of filing. Evan and I finally get to this counter and are able to enter the main room quick since we are CR1 and have sent all paperwork ahead or time. We had nothing new to give them except for the medical form and passport pics. We enter the main room and wait in section A (Pre-Screening area) All visitors are sent to section B. There are TONS of folks there….all looking nervous as ever. You’d think it was a funeral or something in the place.

We wait for our number to be called. Its called after about a 25 minute wait in the main room. We go to a window where the man collects Evans passport pics, look at his passport and then tells me I owe another $20 rass dollars!! Said some foolishness about fees going up since last I paid and ####### and showed me some form that shows different fees. I don’t know if this is USCIS fees or NVC fees. He talked so low with an accent and I was already irritated that these folks wanted more money. Had I not been there Evan would not had been prepared to pay that and would had to of left. I go to another window and pay and then go back to the window with Evan. We are told to go back and wait to be called for the interview.

We sit back down and wait. Finally getting called to the window by the woman who is hoarse. She begins to tell us to raise our right hand but then says “U know what, I can hardly speak and we’re gonna have to ask you questions about your relationship, so I’m goning to give your case to the next officer next to me”. There are only 2 officers taking interview and about 3 taking paperwork. So we go back and sit down again. I get a bit nervous thinking, what kind of embarrassing questions are they gonna ask. Evan gets nervous too. We are quickly called back to the new officers window. She is an American White woman, who seems very pleasant. (We’ve been listening to her the whole time). We get to the window. Evan does his fingerprinting, and we swear in. She asks “So tell me how you two met”. Evan and I look at each other and I smile and say “u wanna tell her” He tells her the story of “the front desk” She smiles at us, then asks “how many times I’ve visted JA since we met”. I say “About 8, I think”. She asks Evan if he has fam in the US, or ever traveled there. He says no, then she just goes right into stapling his passport with the pink slip and talking about airpak, and say thanks (smiley), and “good luck”…

….end of interview and we head out to Airpak, with smiles and a bit shocked as to how simple it all was. It truly was like they already knew they were gonna give the pink slip…she had it at her desk the entire time we were there.

I just want to thank God for all that he has done for our relationship. This has not been an easy journey but I know that it is all in Gods hands and He is working it in the best way for us and for that I am humbled by this experience and very thankful.

We heard other interviews….some didn’t fare to well…so ask away if you want more details about the day.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

[Mina76 0]

Great news, Congratulations on getting your Visa approval!!!